Pathogens also pose a number of challenges and questions in terms of policy, such as food recalls, GMO development, travel restrictions, and immunization requirements. To start CaSP’s 2019 event series, we will be hosting a panel discussion on the policy aspect of infectious diseases. The panel will feature four panelists with diverse expertise: Thomas Friedrich, PhD (viruses, especially Zika), James H. Conway, MD (pediatric infectious diseases and vaccine-preventable diseases), Nasia Safdar, MD, PhD (healthcare-associated infections), and Susan Paskewitz, PhD (tick-borne diseases, emerging infections). The event will be held on February 7, 2019 at 6:00 PM in the H. F. DeLuca forum at the Wisconsin Institutes for Discovery building. Immediately after the event, we will host a social event, where participants can play the award winning board game Pandemic. The event is free and open to the public. Pre-register for the event here.
Thomas Friedrich, PhD
Professor Thomas Friedrich is an Associate Professor of Pathobiological Sciences and the UW School of Veterinary Medicine. His research focuses on viruses and how viruses interact with human and primate hosts. His lab is associated with the Wisconsin National Primate Research Center as well as the Zika Experimental Science Team at UW-Madison.
James H. Conway, MD
Dr. James Conway is the Associate Director for Health Sciences of the Global Health Institute and a faculty member of the Master of Public Health program at UW-Madison. He is a specialist of pediatric infectious diseases and vaccine preventable diseases such as influenza. His work aim to train professional in identifying and treating infections and bolstering immunization programs.
Nasia Safdar, MD, PhD
Professor Nasia Safdar is a member of the Department of Medicine, Infectious Disease division at UW-Madison School of Medicine and Public Health and serves as the Vice Chair for Research for the Department of Medicine. Her research focuses on the prevention and reduction of healthcare-associated infections and as the Medical Director of Infection Control at UW Hospital and Clinics, works to implement methods to decrease such infections.
Susan Paskewitz, PhD
Professor Susan Paskewitz is the department chair of the Entomology department at UW-Madison. Her research focuses on arthropod vectors of human pathogens, such as ticks and mosquitoes, and the global and local health impacts associated with these insects. She is also the director of the Upper Midwestern Center of Excellence for Vector-Borne Disease.
